Category Archives: Ivy Hill News

If you’re looking for a great way to kick off the holiday season, think about visiting the 40th Annual Festival of Trees at the Pearl S. Buck House. The event showcases beautiful trees and vignettes designed by Bucks County’s best artists, decorators, and by local community groups to convey the spirit of Pearl S. Buck’s legacy as an author, humanitarian, and activist. Visitors have the opportunity to vote for their favorite display.

Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center is one of the organizations invited to participate in decorating a room in the house. This year, Ivy Hill’s display is set in Ms. Buck’s study and the theme of the room is “diversity”. The room is where many of Ms. Buck’s famed writings took form.

In her memoir, “The Child Who Never Grew”, Pearl addressed the trials of raising a special needs daughter during an era of misinformation and prejudice. She stated, “It was my child who taught me to understand so clearly that all people are equal in their humanity and that all have the same human rights.” In the same memoir, she uses the phrase“Hope brings comfort”.

At Ivy Hill, we often use the phrase “Horses + Love = Hope”. As our theme this year was to honor diversity, the message of hope was evident throughout our design. Quotes from Ms. Buck’s writings, which speak to diversity, were added to ornaments on the tree and flags of various countries remind us of the many cultures we find worldwide.

A special connection for Ivy Hill and Pearl Buck’s family is their shared love of horses. This is featured in our display through the story of one of our riders, Lucy. She is part of the therapeutic equestrian program at Ivy Hill and was adopted through Pearl S. Buck International.

Until the age of 42, Pearl Buck lived in China and when she returned to America, much of her time was spent writing about the Chinese and Asian cultures and promoting the rights of women and minorities. She became particularly well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption.

Perkasie, PA – November 16, 2018 – Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center announced today it has been named a “2018 Top-Rated Nonprofit” by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews of charities and nonprofits.

Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center provides equine-assisted activities and therapy to children and adults with special needs, teens and young adults dealing with mental illness, addiction and behavioral challenges, individuals with cognitive, physical, emotional, behavioral and psychological needs, and senior citizens dealing with physical or cognitive issues and isolation.

“With so many wonderful nonprofits, doing amazing work, we are truly honored to be a 2018 Top-Rated Great Nonprofit,” says Chris Brockett, President and CEO of Ivy Hill. “We could not have accomplished everything we did this year without the Ivy Hill staff’s focus on our client’s needs and the cooperation of their families participating in our various programs.”

The Top-Rated Nonprofit Award is based on the rating and number of outstanding online reviews that Ivy Hill received from volunteers, donors and aid recipients during 2018.

From a Volunteer – “What makes Ivy Hill stand out is the inclusive, innovative nature of the program and staff. Ivy Hill uses the equine experience to support anyone who could benefit from it. Their programs reach out to people of all walks of life and truly bolster the community in any way it can. This non-profit is always improving-they are not afraid of change but embrace it. This is because that is what their therapeutic program is designed to do- constantly support and improve the lives of it’s clients. Ivy Hill is an integrative family- the donors and clients and volunteers and staff all work with each other in a way where there isn’t isolation between the groups. This is important because integrating these facets of a non profit leads to more effective and efficient learning for all. Ivy Hill is equine therapy at it’s finest.”

“Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center is a great example of a nonprofit making a real difference in their community,” said Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits, “Their award is well-deserved recognition not only of their work, but the tremendous support they receive, as shown by the many outstanding reviews they have received from people who have direct experience working with Ivy Hill.”

GreatNonprofits is the leading website where people share stories about their personal experiences on more than 1.6 million charities and nonprofits. The GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Awards are the only awards for nonprofits determined by those who have direct experience with the charities – as donors, volunteers and recipients of aid.

About GreatNonprofitsGreatNonprofits is the leading site for donors and volunteers to find stories and ratings of nonprofits. Stories on the site influence 30 million donation decisions a year. Visit www.greatnonprofits.org for more information.

During the 2017-18 school year Ivy Hill partnered with the WOW Program from the Bucks County

Intermediate Unit where they acted as the host organization for a pilot study offering transitional work experience for special needs students aging out of the public school system. Four WOW students, working in pairs, learned skills to help them live and work as independent members of their community.

This grant will allow Ivy Hill to expand upon and integrate the program as a permanent part of Ivy Hill’s service offerings. The expanded program will commence at the beginning of the 2018-19 school year and will follow a standard school year calendar, half days, 3 days/wk. WOW students will be accompanied by a WOW caseworker during their visits to Ivy Hill where they will learn about and provide various clerical and maintenance tasks and may also learn about basic horse care.

WOW Program teachers will help monitor and track participant achievements. One measurement of success from our pilot study is that a student obtained a position at a local veterinary practice after completing her service at Ivy Hill. Ivy Hill received an Caring Community Award in June of 2018 for their commitment to providing a work environment and a real-life employment experience for the students.

WOW student at veterinary practice where she found employment following Ivy Hill pilot program

The grants were awarded at the Foundations Community Partnership Luncheon on Tuesday, October 23rd.

The luncheon featured keynote speaker Caryl Stern, President and CEO of UNICEF, USA.

Though the spring weather was slow to arrive this year, things were not slow at Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. As March became April and then May, Ivy Hill was busy with a number of annual events.

Ivy Hill’s first event was their 12th Annual Silent Auction and Dinner, which took place on Saturday March 31st, at Lansdale’s beautiful Pinecrest Country Club. The silent auction drew a lot of attention with five different tables broken down into separate areas of interest and filled with tempting items.

The five tables included Art and Photography, Something for Everyone, Wine and Beer, Sports and Outdoors and the popular Date Night Table. The silence disappeared as the live auction turned from lively competition to bidding wars for some very popular items. The biggest battle ensued over a “behind-the-scenes” Washington, DC Capitol Tour with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick.

As the dust settled from the auction and guests finished their meals while being serenaded by the acoustic strings of Jamie Stem, we were all reminded of why we were there. A member of Will Lavery’s family shared some stories of Will’s experience as an Ivy Hill rider and what therapeutic riding has meant to Will and his whole family. Suellen Hanks took the floor next and gave a powerful and moving talk about the unexpected benefits of being a volunteer at Ivy Hill.

We will be back again next year for another evening of food and drink, sharing of stories from Ivy Hill and a chance for people to have another crack at a winning auction bid

Next up was the 4th Annual Kentucky Derby Gala, “Horse, Hats and Hope” held at Ivy Hill on Derby Day, May 5th. As guests enjoyed live music by Tori Roberts, our first annual chili cook-off was launched and made even better with fresh Mint Juleps. Other events included the Annual “Best Hat” and “Best Bow-Tie” contests and the ever-popular goat races – though goat coaxing might be a more accurate description. This was all leading up to the premier event – where Justify won the 144th Run for the Roses live from Churchill Downs and viewed on a large screen television, which was set up inside Ivy Hill’s beautiful indoor arena.

Proceeds from both events will benefit the care of Ivy Hill’s horses, as well as, the therapeutic riding programs that enhance the lives of individuals with physical, social, educational and/or psychological challenges.

Ivy Hill’s Spring Home Horse Show, was the third event of the spring and the first of two such events held each year in the spring and fall. Riders displayed their skills of horsemanship, equitation, dressage and trail classes while interested family members and spectators gathered to watch and cheer them on. Winners received ribbons and the chance to share what they have accomplished with friends and family. The chance to participate in a horse show on home turf will come in handy as we set our sights on shows later in the year.

Ivy Hill has its own version of Triple Crown events every spring with three important horse shows.

May and June are always exciting for horse lovers but the excitement is really building this spring wondering if we’ll have a new Triple Crown winner on June 9th. If Justify wins, he will be only the 13th horse to accomplish this feat! The Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be watching and cheering along with everyone else as the 10 horse field steps foot on the track at Belmont Park this Saturday.

Ivy Hill has its own version of Triple Crown events every spring with three important horse shows. The Thorncroft and Devon shows were held on May 26th and 27th, allowing just a few days before heading off to the Special Olympics at Penn State University. This presents a rigorous schedule for Ivy Hill’s riders, instructors, volunteers and horses, but they take it all in stride.

The Thorncroft Horse Show was the first leg of our “Triple Crown” series of horse shows.

Ivy Hill took 16 riders and 5 horses to the Thorncroft Show in Malvern, PA where they represented Ivy Hill well. Luckily, there was plenty of room to bring home the many prizes won throughout the day including 40 ribbons by various riders. Additionally, Abby Mains brought home the Thorncroft Perpetual Trophy, which was sponsored by Patrick and Michele Boova. This trophy is awarded to the rider with the highest combined score in walk/trot classes of Equitation, Dressage and Trail in Division III. The trophy was presented the following day, May 27th at the Devon Horse Show and qualifies her for entry in the National Horse Show later this year.

Fiona Hough was the Reserve Winner for the Thorncroft Trophy and Riley Powell was the Reserve Winner for the MacDermott Trophy. The MacDermott Perpetual Trophy is sponsored by the MacDermott children and is awarded to the rider with the highest combined score in walk trot or walk trot canter Equitation, Trail, and Dressage in Division II.

39th Annual Therapeutic Riders’ Division of the Devon Horse Show

Held May 27th and sponsored by Brushwood Stables, the prestigious Therapeutic Riders’ Division of the Devon Horse Show brings together 175 riders with special needs to compete in a variety of classes including equitation, dressage, and trail. The weekend culminates with the award ceremonies for the championship classes, on Memorial Day Sunday, at the famous Devon Horse Show Grounds. Abby Mains and her mount, Heidi, competed for the Grand Champion of the show, the Hope Montgomery Scott Perpetual Memorial Trophy.

On to State College, Pennsylvania for the Special Olympics

The Special Olympic Games were held May 31st – June 2nd, and were hosted by Penn State University, where 83 riders and 21 horses, represented 11 different counties in Pennsylvania.

Ivy Hill made the drive from Perkasie to State College with 18 riders, 5 horses, 14 horse handlers, chaperones and coaches so they could participate in 49 different events. They brought home 9 Gold medals, 9 Silver medals, 11 Bronze medals, and eight 4th place , seven 5th place, four 6th place, and one 7th place ribbons.

It is always nice to bring home a prize but what the riders bring home in their hearts is much more important. One such story is told in a note sent by a competitor’s mother to Ivy Hill staff following the trip to Penn State.

“I just wanted to thank you and all of your staff and volunteers for all of your hard work putting together and running Special Olympics. Marcus really enjoyed the weekend. He was very proud of his accomplishments, he made some friends (he told me his roommate Jonathan is hilarious) and he enjoyed having some independence. I asked him if he wants to do it again next year and he said ‘Definitely!’” Ivy Hill really is a special place and I’m so glad that Marcus has found something that he enjoys doing and wants to get better at. Thank you so much – you guys are amazing!!!!

A letter from Justin Miller’s family following the Special Olympics experience echoes similar comments.

“Justin had such an amazing time! Thank you also for your patience with all my questions and concerns! Ivy Hill is the most amazing place with the kindest and most helpful people. His instructor is absolutely amazing and her time and dedication with Justin have been an absolute blessing!!! And you were right about Dante and Tyler, Justin loved them — he said he now has friends!!! Makes a mom’s heart happy!! He says he can’t wait until next year!

So again, thank you! Love, The Miller’s

Ivy Hill really is a special place for the riders and their families but it’s also special for the people who work there. We are lucky at Ivy Hill to have a dedicated group of volunteers who give selflessly of their time so that we can help create memories and make dreams come true. Molla, a volunteer who accompanied the group for the Special Olympics, summed it up –

“The self confidence and joy I saw with your riders touched me deeply. To have been the leader during the last event when Evie took gold made me cry. I think I grew from this experience as much as your riders.”

As the Ivy Hill riders, horses, volunteers, instructors, families and friends return home, they will get some well-deserved rest after a busy few weeks. Many will be watching Justify in his bid for the Triple Crown and it will be a thrill if he wins but if he doesn’t, they know there are more important things than winning. Trying hard, cheering for your friends, offering words of encouragement and coming back tomorrow or next week or next year to try again is what they’ve learned. “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Since 1999, Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center has been providing equine-assisted activities and therapies for special needs children and adults in Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh and Philadelphia counties.

The mission of Ivy Hill Foundation is to utilize the equine experience in building pathways for personal growth, in strengthening supporting relationships and in broadening community involvement for individuals with special needs. To sponsor a horse or a rider, to make a donation or for more information, visit our website at www.ivyhillequestrian.org.

The Acelity Foundation has awarded $5,000 to Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center allowing children diagnosed with cancer to attend the 2018 Ride-A-Stride for Hope Summer Camp.

Because of a $5,000 grant from the Acelity Foundation (formerly Servant’s Heart), twelve children will be able to spend a week of fun at the Ride-A-Stride for Hope Summer Camp at Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Perkasie, PA. For six weeks each summer, Ivy Hill’s Inclusion Summer Camp provides a unique, integrated experience for children of all levels of ability and development to learn horsemanship and riding skills.

One of these weeks is dedicated to children who have been diagnosed with cancer. The camp provides a rare, non-clinical environment for the children and their families to escape their normal routine by offering a safe environment of peace, solace and relief of stress.

The children will attend the weeklong camp where they will learn how to care for a horse and build riding skills. Other activities will include games for building social skills, using their creativity while making tie-dye shirts and playing games to promote team-building. Other highlights will include an ice cream social, a carriage drive, a therapy dog visit and a horse show.

Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center is one of several community employers providing Transitional Employment (TE) opportunities for Clubhouse members. These 6-9 month positions offer a high level of support including training, coverage and ongoing support from Wellspring Clubhouse staff. At the end of the placement period, members may choose to try another TE position or move forward to a supported employment position with guidance from Clubhouse staff.

Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center was recognized for their commitment to providing employment for two Clubhouse members: Valerie Usner and Timothy Kinsey.

Valerie was one of the Wellspring Clubhouse members selected to speak during the evening’s program. She shared her inspirational story of being able to recover from an abusive work environment. With support of the Wellspring Clubhouse program and the safe work environment provided by Ivy Hill, she was able to rebuild her confidence and trust, return to a job, and find joy.

Valerie shared part of her experience with dinner guests – “At Ivy Hill, they showed me that I could work without being afraid in the work world. They were nice, kind people and fun to work for. If I needed help, they would be there for me. It was a pleasant experience in the work world.”

Ivy Hill is happy to have another Wellspring member in their employment now. Timothy Kinsey has been part of Ivy Hill since March. He is already building confidence that will help him in going back to work and returning to school. Tim described the importance of a safe environment such as Ivy Hill, “Ivy Hill stressed to me that I should work at my own pace – without pressure. I believe in this work 100% and if I ever have a million dollars, I’d give it all to Ivy Hill.”

Tim has watched others benefit from the Ivy Hill environment, including his stepdaughter, who participates in one of the Ivy Hill riding programs. He has noticed her improved confidence, enjoyment and smiles. Through Tim’s involvement with Ivy Hill, he has gained the financial stability to return to school and now has plans to become a pastor or counselor. He also said that he would like to volunteer at Ivy Hill in the future.

Wellspring Clubhouse is part of the Penn Foundation and is accredited by the Clubhouse International network. Clubhouses are organized as a support system for people dealing with mental health challenges. Wellspring offers a place where Clubhouse staff and its members work together as colleagues to not only run the program but to build the skills, confidence and relationships that will promote recovery, instill hope and regain control of their lives.

Last month, Ivy Hill Foundation, Inc. formed a team to create a holiday display for the Pearl S. Buck InternationalFestival of Trees in Perkasie. Community organizations from all over Bucks County were invited to design and create displays that told their story and represented their Mission.

Our team connected our Mission and stories to Pearl S, Buck’s personal story of a disabled daughter (The Child Who Never Grew), and her love for the challenged, the less fortunate, and the horses she once owned.

Foundations PERKASIE, PA – Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center, located at 1811 Mill Road in Perkasie was awarded a $10,000 Capital Improvement Grant for the installation of a Sure-Hands Body Support Lift from Foundations Community Partnership. The award was presented by FCP Executive Director Ron Bernstein on December 13, 2017.

The Sure-Hands Body Support Lift, which will be mounted in the indoor arena on Ivy Hill’s ADA-compliant mounting ramp, will provide a safe and secure way for immobile and mobility-impaired riders to be mounted and unmounted on the back of a therapy horse without the fear or danger of injury to rider, horse or staff.

“The Sure Hands Lift that this grant from Foundations Community Partnership will help us purchase will allow us to introduce the most physically challenged individuals in our communities to the benefits of equine therapies and expand the reach of our programs for those individuals” said Chris Brockett, Ivy Hill Foundation, Inc. President and CEO.

â€œIt is both the industry standard for performance and safety, and is built specifically with the need of the immobilized or mobility-impaired rider in mind,â€ Brockett added.

Program Director Megan Hance explained that as a therapeutic equine program and community center, it is imperative that all clients, visitors, employees and volunteers have total access to use of Ivy Hill’s facility and our horses.

“Nowhere is this more important than in the service of our most challenged community members” said Hance.

” The installation of a Sure Hands Body Support Lift removes the threat of injury and overcomes the physical barriers that create exclusion and limit inclusive participation”  continued Hance.